Polish women can perform cytological tests involving the molecular analysis of the most dangerous types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) more precisely than before. Thin layer cytology (LBC) captures changes that normal cytology might miss.
An effective form of fighting cancer is carrying out regular examinations. Over the past 50 years, mortality from this disease has decreased significantly in countries where the percentage of women systematically using preventive measures has increased. Early diagnosis eliminates the development of cervical cancer . The basis of prophylactic measures are classic pap smear tests.
Normal pap smear, however, requires complementary examinations due to the relatively low sensitivity of the test, amounting to 60%. This means that 4 out of 10 women will not find the abnormal cells in the cervix. Recently, the so-called liquid cytology (LBC), which is even twice as accurate.
- The LBC test has a much higher detection of harmful cells and allows additional tests to be carried out from the same sample. In countries with the most developed he alth care,thin-layer cytologyreplaces the classic method. Making this test available to Polish patients is our great success and a step forward in the field of preventive medicine - says Michał Meller from the National Network of Medical Laboratories Diagnostyka.
New on our market is HPV testing based on DNA and mRNA analysis. The advantage of the HPV mRNA test is that it can be performed in patients of all ages. It is also the most sensitive test for carcinogenic lesions caused by papillomavirus infection. It is performed in the event of disturbing cytology results. The test result allows you to determine whether the infection carries a risk of developing cancer. Importantly, it is possible to perform these tests for free, thanks to the reimbursement of the National He alth Fund. To do this, go to a doctor with an appropriate contract and the ability to send samples to the laboratory.
HPVis one of the most widespread viruses in the world. There are about 100 varieties, most of which are harmless. It is estimated that up to 8 out of 10 people become infected during their lifetime. MostlyIn cases, the infection is self-limiting, fought by the body's own defense mechanisms. However, this does not change the fact that papillomavirus infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world. All sexually active people are at risk. According to data from the World He alth Organization, approximately 630 million people have come into contact with the HPV virus. Chronic infections caused by the most dangerous types of papillomas cause as much as 95.6% of all cases of cervical cancer.